Competition is Fierce

Even after 14 years of selling on Etsy, sales are not a given. I am literally thankful for each one. I know I’ve got “good stuff” but so do millions of other online sellers. Millions. Competition is fierce in the vintage/antique space. Of course most of us never meet our competitors except briefly at sourcing venues!

Frankly it’s hard for our items to stand out online. Sellers can pay for advertising or take part in advertised sales, but I think the most successful online vintage sellers have social media channels that funnel folks to their stores and items. One of my favorite YoutTube gals, Andi of All Put Together, shared that 75%+ of the folks who visit her Etsy store from her YT channel buy something! Her minimum monthly revenue goal for her store is $3000 and she frequently makes more. Currently she has 40 items in her store so I’m guessing she has to constantly add new things to achieve that monthly goal. (Additionally she generates approximately $4000+ a month in YT ad sales.)

My husband has encouraged me to start a YT channel, but it would take so much time and work and really that space already has so many good vintage reselling content creators. In the past I have tried various social media platforms as a way to drive traffic to my store, but none of them were successful.

In the end I’m just an old gal who loves old stuff. I’d rather focus on my writing and finding interesting things for my store that will tempt people. That’s it.

Here are a few of the interesting bits in my Antiques section…

Lately I’ve had some minor success finding things.

Goodwill “Gold”

My neighborhood thrift store is small with 60% of the space devoted to clothes and shoes. So each visit I really only have a few short aisles to peruse. Anytime I find something I am thrilled.

The other day I was thrilled by four crystal fruit/dessert bowls. Lovely, quality items. Turns out these are by the Belgian company Val St. Lambert (a name new to me) founded in 1826! Can’t you just see strawberries and cream in these? Was happy to find these though they were priced up. (Listed for $78.)

And a couple of days ago I found two gorgeous Korean trays with inlaid abalone shell–an art tradition known as najeonchilgi. The shell has amazing flashes of color and these trays, featuring flying cranes, are both usable and decorative. I’ve listed the pair for $100.

I had mixed feelings on the El Palomar Mexico ceramic bull. In my early store days I bought a lot of Mexican pottery pieces but after awhile they stopped selling for me. And I’m not into figurines. BUT a similar bull sold on ebay in November 2025 for $65. Currently others are listed online for $100 and $125. So I thought he was worth a try. I’ve listed mine for $75.

I’m always on the lookout for crystal barware and was excited to find two crystal Ralph Lauren “Aston” old-fashioned glasses. Hefty, nice things in a discontinued pattern. Sadly one had damage I hadn’t spotted in the store, but the other was fine. Replacements.com sells theirs for $139 for one. I’ve listed mine for $78.

Left these creamers on the shelf! They were hand-painted and signed, but not what I want in my store these days. Too cutesy! Plus creamers do not sell for me. They were a big NO.

Personal Stuff

For a time I adored and collected vintage purses but I have been slowly letting them go. It just doesn’t make sense to keep them stored in a drawer year after year. I just added this 1940s crocheted purse to my store for $38.

One Last Try!

When you add items to your Etsy store you pay 20 cents for a four-month listing. If it doesn’t sell in four months, you can then renew the listing and on and on. Right now I have a lot of expired listings and I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with these items. Some are in a donate bag. Some are on FB Marketplace, but for a few I’ve decided to create brand new listings and give them one more try.

Like this little signed pottery bowl. I love the graphic, tribal design on this and the small size makes it perfect as a “layering” piece on a mantel or shelf. I’ve listed it for $25, but if it doesn’t sell I’ll keep it.

Alas some items are just not on trend like these two stone bead necklaces. I don’t even remember when I got these. Worse yet I can’t remember when I’ve seen anybody wear necklaces like this. If I was crafty I’d make them into something else. I’ve put them in a lot for $30. This is their last chance!

Years (and years) ago I had several pairs of vintage crocheted lace gloves in my store that went nowhere. Eventually I let the listings lapse but kept the gloves. I dug them out and while they do not “fit” my store’s direction, this pair in particular seemed quite nice, so I decided to give them another try.

I found a similar pair that had sold on Etsy for $45. I’ve listed my pair for $40. Hoping they find a home this year.

In Closing

Yes, I wish my items sold more quickly but I do not want the added work and pressure of trying to start a YouTube channel or running a successful Instagram page to get more visibility and “eye balls” on my store. Just not what I want to be doing with my time. So I’ll keep muddling along looking for good stuff to sell and doing the best I can.

Happy hunting,

Karen